DAVAO CITY — Former House Speaker and Davao del Norte First District Congressman Pantaleon Alvarez voted for abstention during the selection of the next leader of the House Representatives last week saying he is not infavor of term-sharing.
In an interview with Abs-Cbn’s TeleRadyo, Alvarez said he did not support any camp whether the side of resigned Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano or even his PBP-Laban party-mate Marinduque Representative Lord Allan Velasco to be the leader of Congress.
“Umpisa pa man, nitong 2019, noong bago pumili ng Speaker, ay sinabi ko na po na hindi po ako sang-ayon sa term-sharing (Since the start in 2019, before choosing the next House Speaker, I already said that I am not in favor for term-sharing),” he said.
Alvarez said the term-sharing scheme is a divisive one since it will create factions on the part of the majority inside the congress.
“This is not about the speakership but this is about the country,” he said.
The Solon said all lawmakers must unite, especially this time that the country is facing the crisis brought by Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
The former House Leader said both camps gave him an offer but declined both because he really did not want to participate in the selection.
He said the deliberation of 2021 General Appropriations Act should be the priority of the lawmakers before the tug-of-war on the Speakership between Cayetano and Velasco.
“Para sa akin, dapat mas inuna muna dapat ang deliberation ng budget bago umpisahan yunh voting. Kumbaga, isaalang alang muna nating ang kapakanan ng ating bansa bago sa personal interest (For me, the budget deliberation must be the priority that time before the voting. It’s just like, the welfare of the country must come first before the personal interest),” he said.
Alvarez said the situation this time is different to the situtation during his term as House Speaker since it was still on the mid-term and there were fears because of the election.
“Pero ngayon, iba ito, kasi patapos na. So hindi natin mabasa kung ano ang nasasaloobing ng mga Kongresista (But now, it already different since this administration is about to end. So, we cannot read what are the thing on the mind of every Congressmen),” he said
